


Refraction

by thecrimsonmonarch



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Gen, Headcanon, Hogwarts Express
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-20 03:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7388119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecrimsonmonarch/pseuds/thecrimsonmonarch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Out of the four Marauders, Remus had always thought that he would be the first to die.</p><p>Alas, Fate enjoyed playing cruel jokes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Refraction

Out of the four Marauders, Remus had always thought that he would be the first to die.

Alas, Fate enjoyed playing cruel jokes.

Six months after Remus turned 33 _(his 12th birthday since he had anyone to celebrate with)_ , he found himself running through a brickwall in King's Cross once more. 

He could have chosen to travel by Apparition or by Floo, like all the other Professors, but nostalgia had brought him to choose the red steam engine instead.

He had come an hour and a half early, and as he navigated the still nearly empty hallway of Hogwarts Express, pure instinct led him to the very last compartment at the back.

Remus slowly slid the door open and studied the relatively drab and small space. He softly smiled, marvelling at the thought that this compartment had borne witness to proclamations of love, testaments of friendship, realization of dreams, colorful stories and _countless_   _lives_.

But this compartment, in Remus' mind, had foremost housed four naive, idealistic, not-so-innocent boys' excitement for coming back to school  _('Ah, mssrs, ready for another year of "academic pursuits"?')_ and wistfulness for leaving _('Remember to write, knuckleheads!')_.

Now Remus entered without any of those, only a faint lump in his throat and a shabby suitcase in his right hand.

* * *

He wasn't asleep when he heard footsteps approaching. By the time Harry, Ron and Hermione went in, Remus was already snug under his coat, making soft convincing snores. He listened in on the children's conversation, struck by how similar Harry's pitch was to James' and manner of speaking to Lily's.

Simply hearing traces of his friends warded off the ever-present chill in Remus. For hours, he dozed on and off, just letting the three voices lull him into peace, reminding him of happier days of being a student himself.

And then suddenly, the chill was back, only now more tangible. The lights flickered then died, and Remus was instantly awake. He listened to the growing worry of the children onboard. Peeking behind his cloth shield, Remus saw a cloaked figure open their compartment door. A gnarled, bone-thin finger pointed at the space beside him.

Remus' eyes flitted to Harry.

Later, he would feel guilty for his wandering mind, but at that moment, all he could think of was ' _James_.' But no, no, that was not right. ' _Harry,_ ' his mind corrected. James and Lily's child. The only trace left of friends long gone.

Remus vowed he would protect Harry Potter with his absolute all.

_'Expecto Patronum!'_

It was the least he could do for being guilty of surviving.


End file.
